Pollution Reduction Effect Research Articles

Harmonizing Digital Trade for Sustainable Stride: Unveiling the Industrial Pollution Reduction Effect of China's Cross-Border E-Commerce Comprehensive Pilot Zones

As a key export-oriented economy, China faces significant challenges to its green economic development due to industrial pollution. While digital trade is crucial for sustainable development, its impact on industrial pollution has not been studied. This paper addresses this gap by adopting prefecture-level data from 2005 to 2021 and using a staggered difference-in-differences model to assess the impact of comprehensive pilot zones policy of cross-border e-commerce (CBEC) on industrial sulfur dioxide pollution. The findings indicate that CBEC significantly reduces industrial sulfur dioxide emission intensity, with the effect growing stronger over time. The effect is particularly notable in eastern and western regions, large cities, cities with underdeveloped digital infrastructure, and cities with lower pollution. Mechanism analysis reveals that CBEC lowers industrial emission intensity by driving structure upgrading, fostering green innovation, and advancing digital transformation. This paper emphasizes that the government can expedite the green transformation of the economy by integrating digital trade with industry.

Has the Anti-Corruption Campaign Decreased Environmental Pollution? Evidence from China

Whether anti-corruption efforts help reduce environmental pollution is a hot topic in academia. This paper analyzes the impact of anti-corruption on the emissions of environmental pollutants using panel data from 31 provinces (municipalities) in China from 2015 to 2022. By using the 2018 supervision system reform as an exogenous policy shock, a Difference-in-Differences (DID) model is employed to examine the impact of the anti-corruption campaign on environmental pollutant emissions. The results show that the effectiveness of anti-corruption measures has strengthened over time, especially after the 2018 system reform, although these reforms exhibit a lag effect before significantly reducing pollution levels. Furthermore, heterogeneity analysis indicates that due to the high-pollution, high-energy-consumption industrial structure, the pollution reduction effect of anti-corruption measures is more pronounced in resource-based provinces than in non-resource-based provinces. Our findings emphasize the importance of strengthening anti-corruption measures and establishing a sound legal framework to effectively curb corruption and enhance environmental protection.

The Synergistic Effect of the Carbon Emission Trading Scheme on Pollution and Carbon Reduction in China’s Power Industry

The synergistic effect of pollution and carbon reduction can alleviate the dual pressure of improving environmental quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in China. The carbon emission trading scheme (CETS) is a crucial market-based tool for carbon emission reduction, and understanding its synergistic impact on air pollution control is essential. Based on data from 30 provincial panels in China spanning from 2007 to 2021, we employ the difference-in-differences (DID) method to analyze the synergistic effects of the carbon emission trading plan in the power industry and its influence mechanisms are examined. We observe that the CETS significantly enhances both pollution and carbon reduction in China’s power sector, particularly demonstrating effective synergy in reducing CO2, SO2, and PM2.5 emissions. Furthermore, mechanism analysis reveals that the CETS achieves joint emission reductions by lowering energy consumption, influencing the power industry’s generation structure, promoting technological innovation among enterprises, and thereby realizing synergistic pollution and carbon reduction effects in China’s power sector. Heterogeneity analysis shows that regions with limited power facility, low electricity generation, and small economic scale exhibit the most pronounced synergistic benefits from pollution and carbon reduction efforts.

Runoff Control Performance of Three Typical Low-Impact Development Facilities: A Case Study of a Community in Beijing

The development of sponge cities advocates for sustainable urban rainwater management, effectively alleviating urban flood disasters, reducing non-point-source pollution, and promoting the recycling of rainwater resources. Low-Impact Development (LID) serves as a key strategy in this context, providing essential support for urban rainwater control and pollution reduction. To investigate the runoff control effects of LID measures and to reveal the relationship between facility runoff control performance and installation scale, this study focuses on a sponge community in Beijing. A SWMM model was constructed to analyze the rainwater flood control and pollutant load reduction effects of different LID facilities, including bio-retention cells, green roofs, and permeable pavements. Using evaluation indicators such as surface runoff, node overflow, and pollutant control rates, this study examined how facility performance varies with installation scale under different rainfall conditions. The combination scheme of LID equipment optimal configuration is designed by using multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA) and cost–benefit theory. The results indicate significant differences in performance among the various LID facilities across different rainfall scenarios. Specifically, the optimal installation proportion for runoff and overflow control of permeable pavements were found to be between 30% and 70%. Green roofs demonstrate superior performance in handling extreme rainfall events, while bio-retention cells exhibit significant effectiveness in controlling Total Suspended Solids (TSSs). Through comprehensive performance evaluation, this study identified the optimal combination scale under a 3-year rainfall recurrence interval as 30% permeable pavements, 20% green roof, and 60% bio-retention cells. This combination effectively leverages the strengths of each facility, ensuring system stability and efficiency while also demonstrating optimal management efficiency in cost–benefit analyses. The findings of this research provide valuable insights for future urban water management and infrastructure development.

Assessing the impact of green patents on pollution reduction: A micro-level study of Chinese industrial firms

As global warming and environmental degradation escalate, policymakers worldwide increasingly advocate for the development of green patents. However, there is ongoing debate regarding the effectiveness of green patents in actual pollution reduction. Some studies suggest that firms may engage in green patenting activities to align with government and market expectations rather than achieving substantive breakthroughs in pollution reduction. In light of this, it is crucial to examine the impact of green patents on pollution reduction. This study employs a PSM-DID model to analyze the impact of green patents on pollution emission intensity using plant-level data from Chinese industrial firms. The results demonstrate that with an average increase of 1% in the number of green patents, the industrial waste gas emission intensity and industrial wastewater discharge intensity decreased by 4.74% and 8.68%, respectively. Furthermore, pollution treatment facilities were found to be more effective than green patents during the sample period. On average, the contribution of waste gas treatment facilities and wastewater treatment facilities in pollution reduction is 3.33% and 9.79% higher than that of green patents. These findings suggest that firms should adopt a balanced approach when making decisions on pollution reduction. Further analysis shows that the pollution reduction effect of green patents is partly at the expense of the total factor productivity of firms. This trade-off highlights the need for policy interventions to support firms in integrating green technologies without compromising productivity. This study underscores the emphasizes of transitioning from end-of-pipe pollution control to green production processes to achieve sustainable development in China.

Effect of Taobao village certification on agricultural fertilizers and pesticides usage in China

Employing the Taobao village certification (TVC) as an exogenous policy shock and leveraging balanced panel data at the county level from 2007 to 2021, our multi-period Difference-in-Differences (DID) analysis reveals that the TVC reduces agricultural fertilizers and pesticides usage by 5 % to 10 %. This environmental benefit primarily stems from facilitating labor transfer and advocating for environmentally sustainable agriculture. Moreover, a more pronounced pollution reduction effect is observed in counties with higher marketisation level and major grain-producing areas. Our paper holds significant practical implications for rural environmental governance and potentially for other agricultural powerhouses where e-commerce is flourishing.

The digital revolution's environmental paradox: Exploring the synergistic effects of pollution and carbon reduction via industrial metamorphosis and displacement

Faced with the dual challenges of “achieving carbon peaking by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060” and “continuing the battle against pollution,” the concept of synergistic reduction of pollution and carbon (SRPC) has emerged as a novel approach for China to tackle climate change and achieve comprehensive ecological improvement. In terms of the increasingly profound influence of the digital economy (DE) on China's economy and society, what impact will DE have on the SRPC? This is a realistic issue worth in-depth discussion. Using the super efficiency SBM model and the coupling coordination degree model (CCDM) to measure the SRPC level in 278 Chinese cities from 2007 to 2019, the influence of DE on the SRPC is investigated from the perspectives of industrial transformation and upgrading (ITU) and the transfer of polluting industry (TPI). The results show that, first, the SRPC in most Chinese regions showed a gradual upwards trend. Second, DE can effectively improve the local SRPC. The improvement is achieved through local ITU (especially industrial upgrading and industrial rationalization). Third, DE notably reduces the SRPC level in neighboring regions. The negative spillover effect has an inverted U-shaped change, and 300 km is the turning point. Spatial mechanism analysis shows that local DE inhibits the SRPC in neighboring regions through the spatial transfer of polluting industries. This study not only helps to assess the effect of DE development on the SRPC but is also highly important for determining how to effectively promote the interregional ITU to realize the SRPC.

Impacts of the pilot policy for carbon emissions trading on pollution reduction in China

Global environmental problems are worsening. Among various regulatory measures, market-oriented approaches are most favored by governments worldwide. Using provincial panel data from 2004 to 2020, a multi-period DID model was hereby constructed to empirically study the pollution reduction effects of the pilot policy for carbon emissions trading in China. Findings of this paper could be listed as follows: (1) The pilot policy has achieved notable reductions in waste gas and solid waste, although its effect on wastewater pollutants has been less pronounced; (2) Pollution reduction in the pilot regions can be achieved by optimizing the energy consumption structure; (3) Significant variations in pollution reduction effects are observed between the Northern and Southern pilot regions, with notably stronger policy effects in the north across various pollutants compared to the south. Overall, this paper offers pertinent policy recommendations to aid the Chinese government in enhancing its carbon market.

Research Progress in Reducing Pollution and Sequestration of Carbon by Carbon Neutral Plants

Under the dual constraints of economic development and ecological carrying capacity, it is necessary to explore more technical means to achieve carbon neutrality and peak in China. Plants are important carriers of terrestrial and marine carbon sink systems, whereas phytoremediation is also a scientific method to remedy environmental pollution. However, the current studies mostly focus on the single aspect of plant carbon sequestration (including both the reduction of pollutant concentrations in environmental media and degradation of pollutants) or plant pollution reduction, without considering the dual benefits of plant pollution reduction and carbon sequestration. In order to explore the carbon neutral effect of plants, we focused on the pollution reduction and carbon sequestration effect of carbon neutral plants and its progress and evaluated the pollution reduction and carbon sequestration potential of carbon neutral plants and other organisms (such as animals and soil microorganisms) and environmental functional materials. The mechanisms underlying the synergistic coupling of carbon neutral plants and animals, microorganisms, and environmental functional materials and ecosystems in reducing pollution and carbon sequestration were also explored. Finally, we proposed constructive prospects for future research on the effects of carbon neutral plants on pollution reduction and carbon sink.

The spatial spillover effect of green technology innovation on water pollution–evidence from 283 Chinese cities

While economic development brings serious environmental problems, technological advances can effectively reduce pollution, which helps to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Although the impact of green technology innovation on atmospheric pollutants and carbon emissions has been extensively studied, the effect of such innovation on pollutant reduction varies due to the diverse regional distribution characteristics of different pollutants. Thus, this paper contributes to the literature by examining the influence of green technology innovation on water pollution from a regional perspective, with a particular emphasis on the pronounced clustering of wastewater pollution in China's coastal areas. Both Fixed-Effect model and spatial analysis are adopted. Our findings reveal a significant U-shaped relationship between technology innovation and water pollution, as measured by both industrial wastewater and the ratio of unprocessed sewage. Interestingly, this pollution reduction effect also exhibits a U-shaped spatial spillover. Given the rapid development of the digital economy, it can further amplify the spatial spillover effect of green innovation, especially in eastern regions. This study also provides recent empirical evidence from China to the Environmental Kuznets Curve.

Governance effects of pollution reduction and carbon mitigation of carbon emission trading policy in China

China's carbon emission trading policy plays a crucial role in achieving both its “3060” dual carbon objectives and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 13 (SDG 13) on climate action. The policy's effectiveness in reducing pollution and mitigating carbon emissions holds significant importance. This paper investigated whether China's carbon emission trading policy affects pollution reduction (PM2.5 and SO2) and carbon mitigation (CO2) in pilot regions, using panel data from 30 provinces and municipalities in China from 2005 to 2019 and employing a multi-period difference-in-differences (DID) model. Furthermore, it analyzed the heterogeneity of carbon market mechanisms and regional variations. Finally, it examined the governance pathways for pollution reduction and carbon mitigation from a holistic perspective. The results indicate that: (1) China's carbon emission trading policy has reduced CO2 emissions by 18% and SO2 emissions by 36% in pilot areas, with an immediate impact on the “carbon mitigation” effect, while the “pollution reduction” effect exhibits a time lag. (2) Higher carbon trading prices lead to stronger “carbon mitigation” effect, and larger carbon market scales are associated with greater “pollution reduction” effects on PM2.5. Governance effects on pollution reduction and carbon mitigation vary among pilot regions: Carbon markets of Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, and Tianjin show significant governance effects in both “pollution reduction” and “carbon mitigation”, whereas Guangdong's carbon market exhibits only a “pollution reduction” effect, and Hubei's carbon market demonstrates only a “carbon mitigation” effect. (3) Currently, China's carbon emission trading policy achieves pollution reduction and carbon mitigation through “process management” and “end-of-pipe treatment”. This study could provide empirical insights and policy implications for pollution reduction and carbon mitigation, as well as for the development of China's carbon emission trading market.

Environmental co-benefits of climate mitigation: Evidence from clean development mechanism projects in China

The carbon reduction effects of climate mitigation have received much attention, but less attention has been paid to the co-benefits of climate mitigation such as air pollution reduction and related health impacts. This oversight may have led to an underestimation of the broader welfare effects of climate mitigation and thus hindering its progress in implementation. This paper investigates the co-benefits of climate mitigation through focusing on the pollution reduction effects of the implementation of the clean development mechanism (CDM), which is an important climate mitigation mechanism to enhance north-south climate cooperation. Using a unique firm-level dataset with data on China's CDM projects from 1998 to 2012, we show that the CDM implementation reduced sulfur dioxide emissions. Mechanism analyses show that the CDM implementation alleviated firms' financing constraints and promoted fossil energy savings, thereby reducing emissions of air pollutants that usually coexist with greenhouse gases in burning fossil fuels. We also find that the CDM didn't bring about the expected technological progress. These results highlight environmental co-benefits of climate mitigation and provide important implications for international climate cooperation

Pathway for China's provincial carbon emission peak: A case study of the Jiangsu Province

This study establishes the LEAP-Jiangsu model and uses the improved multilevel logarithmic mean Divisia index, Tapio decoupling, and synergistic effect models to explore the carbon reduction paths. The improved multilevel logarithmic mean Divisia index model analyzed the influencing factors of the historical and future carbon emissions. A provincial LEAP model was established to predict the time and value of carbon emission peaks. The Tapio decoupling and synergistic effect models were used to clarify the relationship between carbon emissions and economic development, the synergistic effect of carbon and pollutant reduction, and the terminal sector's carbon reduction potential. The results show that Jiangsu Province will most likely achieve carbon peaking in 2025∼2030, and the peak carbon emission is about 792∼853.9 Mt. Terminal energy intensity, power production structure, and terminal energy consumption structure are the main influencing factors of carbon reduction, with a cumulative contribution rate of about 74.4 %–83.5 %. The power production structure is critical in promoting the decoupling of economic development and carbon emissions. The contribution rates of energy intensity reduction, industrial structure optimization, improving terminal electrification level, and energy structure adjustment are 30.3 %, 26.2 %, 20.9 %, and 17 %, respectively. Coordinating carbon reduction measures will have better synergistic carbon and pollutant reduction effects.

Energy and environment: How could energy-consuming transition promote the synergy of pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction in China?

In order to attain the mutually reinforcing advantages of pollution reduction and carbon emissions, it is imperative to give precedence to the prevention and control of carbon pollution from its source, hence promoting a forward-thinking approach to governance. Hence, there is an urgent need for theoretical explanation and empirical verification to determine whether the energy-consuming right trading system, which serves as a conventional method for preventing and controlling pollution, has effectively achieved the desired outcome of reducing carbon emissions and promoting a mutually beneficial outcome. This study employs a panel data analysis of 266 prefecture-level cities in China spanning the years 2011 to 2020. The objective is to investigate the influence and underlying mechanism of the energy-consuming right trading system on the synergistic effects of pollution reduction and carbon emissions. At the same time, the heterogeneity analysis is carried out at three levels, including geographical location characteristics. The findings indicate that the energy-consuming right trading system has a substantial impact on enhancing the synergistic effects of pollution reduction and carbon emissions. In comparison to cities that did not implement the system, the pilot cities experience a reduction of 84.8% in CO2 and 34.5% in SO2. Eco-environment attention, clean energy substitution, energy consumption structure, and green technology innovation are the key transmission mechanisms of the energy-consuming right trading system affecting the synergistic effects of pollution reduction and carbon emissions. In addition, the effect is significantly different in different cities.

The road to carbon win, the wise first: evidence of robot impact enabling the synergistic effects of pollution reduction and carbon emissions

The road to carbon win, the wise first: evidence of robot impact enabling the synergistic effects of pollution reduction and carbon emissions

Research the synergistic carbon reduction effects of sulfur dioxide emissions trading policy

Since General Secretary Xi Jinping pledged the “30·60” targets to the world, the importance of pollution reduction and carbon reduction has become increasingly prominent. The previous focus on the pollution reduction effects of emission trading systems, while overlooking their carbon reduction impacts, as well as the limitations of research methods and scope, is no longer suitable for the needs of the new era. Therefore, this paper constructs a CGE model to study the synergistic effects, simulating the synergistic emission reduction effects of sulfur dioxide emission trading policies, and comes to the following conclusions: After the implementation of the sulfur dioxide emission trading mechanism, under different sulfur price scenarios, the synergistic reduction amounts of SO2 and CO2 vary greatly. As the sulfur price increases, the reduction amount becomes larger. In the five sulfur price scenarios set in this paper, the maximum reduction of SO2 can reach about 111,400 tons, and the maximum for CO2 is about 399 million tons. The CO2 reduction rate is approximately 1.0767 times that of SO2. This indicates that the sulfur dioxide emission trading policy is a very effective path for synergistic pollution and carbon reduction, with good reduction effects. In addition, sulfur dioxide emission trading will reduce the consumption of fossil energy, decrease industry output, raise product prices, cause GDP loss, and lead to reduced social welfare to varying degrees.

Pollutant reduction effects of vertical environmental reform in China.

The vertical environmental reform in China has led to the change of environmental management system from territorial management model to vertical management model. This study uses the data of 263 prefecture-level cities in China to examine the effects of China's vertical environmental reform on pollutant emissions, including industrial sulfur dioxide, wastewater emissions, and industrial fumes emissions. The findings demonstrate that vertical environmental reform resulted in a reduction in industrial sulfur dioxide, wastewater emissions, and industrial fumes emissions. And the governance effects is gradually enhanced with the passage of time, which are long-lasting effects. The above conclusions are still valid after a series of robust estimates including mitigating selection bias, placebo test, changing the dependent variables, and mitigating heterogeneous treatment effects. According to heterogeneity analysis, the vertical environmental reform has reduced the increase of pollutants caused by financial pressure and official associations, and treats border pollution problems more effectively. Under the decentralized governance system, the implementation of vertical environmental management helps to reduce local pollutant emissions. This conclusion provides the latest evidence from China for the academic debate on the advantages and disadvantages of territorial environmental management and vertical environmental management and also provides policy implications for the government's environmental governance.

Can Low-Carbon City Pilot Policies Reduce Environmental Pollution? Evidence From Prefecture-Level Data in China

Based on the second batch of low-carbon city pilot policies in 2013 as a quasi-natural experiment, this study adopts the panel data of 212 cities in China from 2007 to 2017, and uses the difference-in-differences model (DID) to carry out a policy evaluation of the pollution reduction and emission reduction effects of the low-carbon pilot policies and further analyzes the transmission mechanism. Based on the DID method, the actual impacts of the government's low-carbon call policy and low-carbon governance policy on the urban ecological environment are examined. It is found that compared with non-pilot cities, low-carbon governance construction in low-carbon pilot cities significantly reduces pollutant emissions in the region. Analysis of the transmission mechanism reveals that urban low-carbon governance strengthens the strength of environmental policies and reduces urban carbon and pollutant emissions through the low-carbon treatment of urban waste and the low-carbon industrial structure. The test of regional heterogeneity found that the effect of pollution reduction and emission reduction is more significant in the eastern cities, high population concentrated cities and more economically developed cities. The results are still significant after replacing the explanatory variables with sulphur dioxide content and excluding extreme outliers. Therefore, the emission reduction policy has a significant contribution to improving the urban environment and reducing pollution emissions.

Research on the Collaborative Pollution Reduction Effect of Carbon Tax Policies

This study builds a Computable General Equilibrium model to investigate the synergistic effects and simulate the co-benefits of carbon tax policies. The conclusions are as follows: After implementing a carbon tax policy, when the carbon tax increases from 30 CNY/ton to 130 CNY/ton, and the reduction in CO2 emissions increases from 1.223 billion tons to 3.943 billion tons. At the same time, the reduction in SO2 emissions rises from 326,200 tons to 1,052,200 tons. However, overall, the reduction rate of SO2 is around 88.87% of the CO2 reduction rate. Thus, a carbon tax is also an effective policy pathway for synergistic pollution reduction and carbon mitigation. In terms of industry output, among the 15 industries, sectors such as electricity generation, aviation, and tertiary industries have increased their output, with the electricity sector achieving the highest increase of 2.9816%. Other industries have exhibited varying degrees of decline, especially coal, natural gas, oil, nonferrous metals, chemicals, steel, and building materials, with the coal industry output decreasing the most, by −49.4924%. Regarding energy consumption, as the carbon tax increases, the consumption of coal, oil, and natural gas all show a downward trend, with coal experiencing the largest decrease, at −49.5640%.

Assessing the impact of China's river chief system on enterprise pollution discharge.

The River Chief System (RCS), a pivotal environmental governance policy promoted by the Chinese government, has far-reaching implications for public health. This study aims to comprehensively assess the impact of RCS on corporate pollution emissions, emphasizing its role in improving environmental quality and safeguarding public health. Utilizing a database of industrial enterprises and data from heavily polluting enterprises spanning 2003 to 2013. Manual collation of RCS policy implementation across prefecture-level cities during the same period. Application of the DID method to verify the impact of RCS on the extent of corporate pollution emissions. RCS significantly reduces pollution emissions from enterprises. Heterogeneity analysis reveals RCS to be more effective in addressing visible pollutants in rivers, non-provincial capitals, and heavily polluting industries, resulting in a notable reduction in pollution emissions. Mechanism testing underscores the importance of increasing government attention to environmental protection and strengthening environmental regulation as key factors contributing to RCS's success in reducing pollution emissions from enterprises. Additionally, the study finds that improving the business environment of enterprises, measured through the marketization index, enhances the effectiveness of RCS in improving river pollution by enterprises. This study introduces a new perspective on examining the pollution reduction and abatement effects of RCS, addressing a gap in micro-level research. The findings not only contribute to the understanding of RCS's impact on pollution but also offer valuable insights for governments and policymakers in promoting the further development and implementation of RCS policies. The results of this research are of significant importance in strengthening environmental governance and safeguarding public health. By effectively controlling corporate pollution emissions, RCS contributes positively to improving environmental quality and, consequently, enhancing public health outcomes.